Train-control system



Nov. 10, 192s. I 1,`5f';1,434

N. J. JONES. JR

TRA IN CONTROL SYSTEM Filed 0G13. 5. 1923 Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORRIS `J'. JNES, JR., 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA; LOTTIE JONES, EXECUTRIX F SAID NORRIS J'. JONES, JR., DECEASED.

vTRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEM.

Application filed October 5, 1923. Serial No. 666,695.

To all whom t may concern.'

.Be it known that I, Nomus J. JONES, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Train-Control Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to train-control systems. Although it is intended primarily for toy systems, it is adapted for use with standard railway equipments.

It is the principal object of this invention to prevent the travel of a car on a block at the rear of a block occupied by another train. In case a train is on a block it prevents a train from runningon the next block to the rear.

Referring to-the accompanying drawing, the figure is a diagrammatic View of a toy system involving the principles of my invention. Y

1 and 2 are a pair of endless traction rails electrically connected together and constituting the common electric .current return for all the cars thereon, the rails being connected to the current supply line 3. I provide a third rail divided in the present instance into five sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, insulated from one another and from the rails 1 and 2. These sections divide the railroad into five vblocks A, B, C, D, and E, respectively. I show three motor cars 9, 10, and 11 on blocks A, C, and E, respectively, vthe cars being represented in each instance by two pairs of axles 12, provided with wheels 13 Y on the rails 1 and 2. Each car has a motor armature 14 and a field winding '15 connected in series and to an axle 12 and the shoes 16 which slide on the thii'd rail. I provide a pair of electromagnets' for each block, the members of the pair connected to the block A being marked a and a the members of the pair connected to the block B being marked b and b', and so on for the remaining blocks andpairs of electromagnets. One terminal of each of the windings of the electromagnets is connected to the current-supply wire 17. The remaining terminals of the windings of the electromagnets a, b, 0,' d, and e are connected by the respective wires 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 to the respective `rail sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The remaining terminals of the windings of the electromagnets a, b', c', d', and e are connected respectively to the armatures b2, c2, cl2, e2, and a2, which engage their respec-` tive contacts b3, 03, d3, 6,3 and a3, when the electromagnets, b', c', cl', e', and a, respectively are deenergized. I i

It is desirable that the current passing through the windings of the electromagnets a, b, c, ai and e, be sutlicient to lift the arma-` tures, but not suiicient -to operate motor cars on the blocks to which they` are connected.` To accomplish this, I may select wire for the said windings of such gage as to reduce the current to the proper value, as shown in the electromagnets a, b, and e, While the windings of the electromagnets a', b, c, d', and e are of such gage as to permit current enough to pass to operate such motor cars as may be electrically connected thereto. Instead of making the windings of the magnets a, b, and c contain the required resistance to prevent the operation of the motor cars, I may place separate resistance in series with the windings. I have shown the windings of the electromagnets c and d in series with such resistances 23 and 24 respectively. Instead of employing two electromagnets for each block I may use only one electromagnet with both windings wound vone upon the other.

The drawing shows the positions of the several parts of mysystem when cars are on the blocks A, C, and E. The car 9 is Vfree to run, since current may How through its motor by the circuit following: From the supply line 17 through the winding a', the armature b2, the contact b3, the wire 18, the rail section 4, the shoes-1.6, the armature 14, the field 15, the rails '1 and 2 t'o the other supply line-3. Current fiows also from the line 17 through the winding a to the wire 18. The current through the magnets a and af causes the armature a2 to be lifted from its contact a?. This armatureA when lifted prevents motor-operating current reaching the rail-section 8 in block E. Therefore the car 11 was stopped on the block E as soon as it entered the same, but the car 11 completes a circuit from the line 17 through'the magnet e, which caused the armature ez to be lifted, thereby opening at the contact e3 the motor-operating circuit through the wire 21 and the rail-section 7, so that, if the car 10 lshould enter section D, it would receive no motor-operating current in that com leted the circuit through the windingl e W ereby the armature e2 is lifted and held lifted. The car lO has made the block B dead since it has completed a circuitv through the magnet c which has lifted the armature c2, thereby opening the motoroperating circuit to the rail section 5. As soon as the car C cnters the section D, cars 9 and 11 still being as shown, it will close a circuit through the magnet d and cause the armature (Z2 to be lifted, thereby cutting oif current supply Uto the rail section 6. Current then lowingthrough the winding d will owing to the resistance 24 be in'suiiicient to drive the motor of car 10.

Avcar is free to run on a section if the section ahead is not occupied, but the car causes the armature controlling the next block behind to be lifted, thereby making the latter block dead. When a car enters a dead block it causes the armature controlling the block behind to be lifted by the action of the high resistance magnet or the external resistance, as 23 or 24. A train running on a block opens a circuit through the winding of the right hand magntt of the next block in the rear, and this magnet lifts the armature for the later block and prevents it from receiving enough current tov operate the motor of a car entering that block. When a car. enters a block just back of an occupied block it completes through the lefthand magnet for the lirst named block a circuit, thereby causing the armature for that magnet to be lifted, whereby the block at the rear of the first block receives current only through its left hand magnet, and a car entering the third named-block will not receive motor-operating current, but only current sufficient to make the block in the rear dead.

I clai'my l. In a safety electric railway system, a sectional conductor dividing the railway 'system into blocks, each section of the conductor being electrically continuous, 4means including for each block only one switch having only one pair of contacts, whereby a car on any block prevents a car on the next block in the rear thereof from receiving'motor-operating current, and whereby the said second car prevents a car in the next block in the rear thereof from receiving motor-operating current.

2. In a safety electric railway system, a current-feeder circuit, a sectional conductor dividing the railway systcm into blocks, only one switch for each block, each switch having only one pair of contacts, and each switch biased to closedposition in which it connects the current-feeder circuit to one conductor-section, and means whereby a car on one;l block causes the switch for the next block in the rear to be opened.

3. In4 a safety electric railway system, a current-feeder circuit, a sectional conductor dividing the railway system into blocks, only one switch for each "block, each switch having only one pair of contacts, and each switch biased to closed position in which it connects the current-feeder circuit to one conductor-section, means whereby a car on one block causes the switch for the next block in the rear to be opned, and means whereby the second car on the next block in the urear causes the opening of the switch in the next block in the rear thereof.

4. In a safety electric railway system, a current-feeder circuit, a sectional conductor dividing the railway system into blocks, only one switch for each block, eachv switch having only one pair of contacts, and each switch biased to closed position, and an electromagnet in series with each switch and the feeder-circuit and operating, when a switch is closed, to open the next switch in the rear and' means for automatically opening the switch in the next block in the rear of two consecutive blocks occupied by cars.

5. In a safety electric railway system, a current-feeder circuit, a sectional conductor dividing the railway system into blocks, ai-

single movable switch member for each block, each switch biased to closed position, an electromagnet in series with each switch and the feeder-circuit and operating, when the switch member is closed, to open the next switch in the rear, and a second electromag f net for each block in c ircuit with the feeder and a conductor-section operated by a -car on a block whose switch is open, to open the .switch of the next block in the rear.

6. In a safety electric railway system, a sectional conductor dividing the railway system into blocks, each section of the conductor being electrically continuous, each block having only one switch having only one pair of contacts for each section, and mans whereby, when a ca'r is one one block, current passing through the said contacts prevents a car in the next block in the rear from receiving motor-operating current, and

also supplies motor-opsrating current to the first car, in case the next block in front of the rst car is unoccupied by a car.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature this 18th day of September, 1923.

NGRRIS J. JONES, JR. 

